First Life
by Eoko
Summary: AU- A Prequel to Life of the Cards and should be read after it, as it was written after. YAOI! Well, no duh... I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh... to bad... DaneChacer, DaneCeleace, and other such yaoi couples. ON HOLD.
1. The Boys of the Desert

Hicky: Heh everyone! Looks like my prequel made it up first… well, I wrote it first. So, this is the intro chapter. Hope you like.  
  
Trent: I'm back, hi. I'm still a block, and I still suck. Hicky doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh so don't sue her.  


Hicky: Dark = **Dane**  
Chaos = **Chacer**  
Magi = **Magus**  
Dark Necrofear = **Dancrofae**

Mystical Elf (Yugi's) = **Mysotsu**  
Mystical Elf (Seto's) = **Mynako**

Tayma (not introduced in LoTC) = **Takima **

Trent: If you forget… the first 2 or 3 letters are the same in their names from LoTC to this one. 

_

****

The Boys of the Desert

"Dane, Dane!" the young boy called as he ran up the sand towards his friend.

"Hi Chacer," the younger boy said as he dragged a stick through the sand. "What are you so happy about?" he said, looking up with big, blue, inquisitive eyes.

"I have sisters!" Chacer said gleefully. His longish black hair bouncing with the rest of his body.

"Sisters?" Dane asked jumping up from where he sat. "Not just sister, but sisters?"

"Two," Chacer said. "They look the same."

"All babies look the same."

"You're a baby, you don't look like my sisters." Chacer smiled and plopped onto the sand.

"I'm not a baby," Dane said pouting. "I'm four, and you know it."

Chacer smiled up at Dane. "And I'm seven so ha."

"So what if you're seven, I don't care."

"I get to go be a mage before you." Chacer poked Dane in the stomach and the blue-eyed boy fell back on his butt.

"So," Dane almost whimpered. "I get to play longer than you. I get to play in the sand."

"When I leave I can't protect you from the scorpions you know," Chacer said as he smacked the sand with the end of the stick he was holding.

Dane frowned. "I don't need to be protect-ed. Is the new man a good daddy to the babies?"

Chacer looked at Dane, then back into the sand. "I don't know yet… He isn't good to me… but I'm not his…"

Dane crawled over to Chacer and gave him a big hug. "It's okay Chacer. I'm your friend, and I'll be good to you."

Chacer blinked and patted Dane on the back. "Thank you."

"Can I see them Chacer? Can I see your new sisters?" 

"You want to? They don't do anything, but okay." Chacer got up and helped Dane to his feet before they walked backed to the village, hand in hand.

The new man, who had really been with Chacer's mother for a year now, was sitting outside their sun-dried brick home. He looked at Chacer, none too pleased, as the two boys walked through the door.

Chacer's mother lay in bed, her new babes in her arms. She looked tired, as if she were taking care of them all by herself. 'I don't like that man,' Chacer thought. "Mommy, can Dane see the babies?"

When his mother nodded Chacer lifted his younger friend up to kneel on the side of the bed. Dane looked at the little babies in awe. "They have light hair Chacer, not like you at all."

"They take after their father, little one," Chacer's mother said, sounding weaker than she looked.

"Are you okay mommy?" Chacer asked, sensing his mother's tiredness.

"I'm fine my child-"

"What are they call-ed?" Dane asked, peering at the big eyes that looked back at him.

The women tilted her head toward one baby, and then the other. "Mysotsu and Mynako."

"Perdy," Dane said as he clamber off the side of the bed, tripping.

Chacer reached out and caught Dane before he hit the ground.

"Thank you." 

"See Dane? You do need me to protect you," Chacer said as Dane did not attempt to get up.

Dane squirmed and made little sounds of struggle as Chacer's arms were still supporting his weight. "I do not need you Chacer, I'm a big boy," Dane said as he spun around to face the black-haired boy. 

"Boys, could you go play outside… the babies need to rest," Chacer's mother asked and the two boys headed out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*deet*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wow Chacer… it seems like just yesterday the twins were born, and now you have another sister," Dane said into his friend's ear.

Chacer hoisted Dane up again, as he was giving him a piggy-back-ride and Dane wasn't holding on too tightly. "I know. Isn't Takima pretty. Her silvery blue hair… I wonder where she got that from…" He moved his hands a little and bounced Dane back into place.

Dane laughed. "I don't know… is it nice to have sisters? I don't have any."

"Well, they're so little. They cry a lot, and they spit up when you try to feed them. And the man isn't helping mommy very much…"

"He's so mean… does your face still hurt?"

"No… Not really anymore," Chacer said as he absentmindedly brought one hand up to touch his face. When he felt Dane slipping he replaced it where it had previously been.

"I can't believe he hit you. You didn't do anything… You were watching the twins while they played… well, lay on their little mats." Dane dropped his head onto Chacer's shoulder. 

"He just does what he wants to… he doesn't care whether he should or not."

"I'm scared for your sisters… They can't protect themselves… They can't run away and hide…" Dane pouted and wrapped his arms around his friend's shoulders.

"It's okay Dane. Mommy won't let anything happen to the babies-"

"But she let something happen to you!" Dane cried, tears starting to swell in his big blue eyes. 

"No Dane, she was with Takima… she didn't know what happened…" Chacer set Dane down on the ground. He looked down when the younger boy came to stand in front of him.

"Didn't you cry? Didn't you tell her what he did?" Dane blinked his eyes and two tears made little journeys down his cheeks.

Chacer brought his hands up to brush away the tears. "No, I didn't cry… I was too shocked to cry… I ran out of the house… and to you… And when mommy asked why my face was bruised… I lied."

"No Chacer!" Dane moved forward so fast that Chacer didn't even notice until his friend was right against him, arms tightly around his waist as the younger one cried into his chest. 

"Shhh, shhh… it's okay…" Chacer brought his hands up to rub circles on Dane's back, like his mother had done to him.

"No…" Dane whimpered, face still pressed up against his friend. "It not okay… he hurt you… he's a bad man…"

"Dane… please be strong… for me and everyone else… I'll need your help if I'm going to make it with that evil man living with my family…" 

Dane sniffed and pulled himself away. "You need my help?"

The older boy smiled. "Yeah, I do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*deet*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chacer and Dane lay in the sand looking up at the clouds that made their way slowly across the blue sky. "How are the girls?" the younger boy asked.

"Mysotsu and Mynako are doing really well. I can tell they'll both become mages-"  
  
"What about Takima?"

"She's a lot like mom. She's got a serious attitude and doesn't take any crap, even from me."

Dane grinned. "I guess she's a carrier then, hmm?"

"I suppose. Mom must have had good genes to produce three children worthy to be mages-"

"How does it work again?" Dane asked, staring up at the clouds.

"Only carriers of the genes of magic can produce children with the gifts. If a mages gives birth to a baby, there's a very large chance that the baby will have no special abilities at all. That's why mages are sent away. They train their magic while the people of their village continue to make more magic babies," Chacer explained.

"So if you had a baby, it wouldn't be magic?"

"There's no way I'm going to have a baby Dane, but you're right. The only way you can have your genes carry on is if you have a sibling that is a carrier-"

"Like Taima! Takima could have a powerful baby I bet…. You know… I don't have a brother or sister, but… my mommy's sister just had a baby. Does he have some of the same genes as me?"

"The genes that your mother got from her parents, yes, but not the ones you got from your father. What's you're cousin's name?"

"You're so smart Chacer. Oh, his name is Magus. My aunt is Dancrofae."

Chacer shudders. Dancrofae was a creepy women. "Doesn't she have some magical abilities?"

Dane nodded. "But not my uncle. He has none, so I bet Magus will be magical, like me, and you."

"But not as powerful as us, we're special," Chacer smiled.

Dane sat up. "Chacer?" 

"Mm?" Chacer tilted his head to look at the brown-haired boy.

"Why do you write poems about me? Why do you think I'm pretty?" Dane simply looked at his friend and Chaser simply replied.

"I think you're pretty because you are, and I write my poems because I want to express myself."

"Oh," Dane said blushing. He looked up when he heard his name being called. He stood up and so did Chacer. "Mommy's calling. I got to go Chacer."

"Okay Dane… I better get back to the girls… come by after dinner. It's the 'Bad Man Left' Anniversary tonight!" Chacer said, then yelled as Dane ran down the hill of sand. He saw the boy's hand waving and then turned to go home himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*deet*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dane stood on top of the little hill, and looked out over the desert. He looked down to see the little caravan of camels. He frowned slightly.

"Dane!"

Dane turned as his name was called. He watched Chacer run towards him. His hair was blowing in the wind. 

When Chacer made it to the top of the hill he bent at the waist and rested his hands on this thighs and he panted lightly. His hair, that now reached down to right under his shoulder blades, fell forward around his face. "I wrote another! This one's good, read it!" He said excitedly as he stood up, his eyes glinting with glee.

Dane took the papyrus and read the characters. He blushed. "I wish you'd stop," he said quietly. Sure it was nice to read all the nice stuff that Chacer wrote, but too much was too much. And Chacer was leaving… it was too hard to think about loosing his closest friend.

"I can't help it... you inspire me," the black-haired boy said looking down at the sand. "I'm going soon Dane… I wanted to say good-bye…"

"But Chacer… it isn't good-bye. I'm going to come to the temple soon-"

"In three years," Chacer said sounding miserable. 

"It'll go by faster for you. You'll have training and you'll make more friends at the temple." His eyes glistened.

"But no one like you Dane. You've been my best friend since as long as I can remember. You stuck by me when that nasty man was in my life and you helped me take care of the girls when mom was sick. I couldn't have made it without you…"

The two boys embraced each other, tears running down both their faces. They couldn't say anything more but they knew they'd miss each other terribly. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Hicky: I know it's not that long, but intro chapters never are…. In my case anyways.

Trent: Now, hit that little review button or neither this, nor LoTC2 will be updating…  


Hicky: Plus, I bet you're dying to know, if Dane and Chacer are such good friends now, when it changes to the hate Dark has towards Chaos. Oh, I bet you want to know…


	2. When We Were Apart

Hicky: What is up all my little peeps and peepettes?

Trent: I'm here! I suck! Get use to it!

Hicky: Here's the deal. My brother and I are always going to write the chapters go they update together. When this goes up, LoTC2 goes up, and neither goes before. So, yes, I was done this about a week ago and Sassy wouldn't hurry his ass up!

Trent: I'm here! I suck! Get use to it!

Hicky: Shut up you stupid block! ENJOY! You've love the ending in this chap!

_

****

When We Were Apart

Dane stood on top of the same hill of sand that he had watched Chacer leave from a year ago. He had come many times and looked down at were the camels had stood, would follow the path they had taken with his eyes. He had watched Chacer wobble back and forth on top of his camel until he could not even see the speck that was him on the horizon.

"Dane," a voice called and he turned. Tanned skin, bright eyes… how much she looked like her brother, save the pretty blond hair. "Hi Dane," the girl said clasping her hands in front of herself.

"Hello, Mysotsu," Dane said sighing lightly. "How are you?"

"I'm fine Dane," Mysotsu said happily.

Dane gave her a lopsided smile. The kid was sweet, sure, but she was still such a baby. Dane actually got along with Takima better. Takima had Chacer's pizzazz, and her mothers attitude. Mysotsu was like a flitty Hoopoe, and Mynako was just… a cold hearted bitch for the age of six. 

"Mysotsu!" Came a high pitched, yet stern voice.

The girl jumped and Dane grinned. "Hi there Mynako."

"Shut up! Mysie, mom says come home right now or I get to throw sand in your eyes!"

"She did not!"

"Okay, I added the last part, but she should have said it!"

"Oh Dane! Say me!" Mysotsu cried as she threw herself at the boy.

"I don't want to!" Dane said as he promptly pushed her away. 

"But Daaaaane! She wants to hurt me!" 

'Yeah? Can I help?' Dane thought as a smirk made its way to his lips.

Mynako stomped her little foot into the sand. "Home. Now. Mysie!" She said angrily. Next she turned to Dane who went rigid under her glare. "And you, you go see your aunt. She wants you to look after Magus for her."

Dane rolled his eyes and sighed. He didn't mind looking after Magus, but his aunt... she was creepy and he didn't like her much.

"I'll walk with you a bit," Mysotsu said as she took Dane by the hand.

"S'okay," Dane said quickly before making his way down the hill at a run.

Mysie waved after him until her twin grabbed her hand and began dragging her home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*deet*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dane sat on the floor of his aunt's home. His eyes stared, unblinking, at the baby sitting across from him. He thought Magus didn't look any different from what he had been a year old. Maybe he'd gotten a little bit bigger, but Dane couldn't tell.

"Day!" Magus said happily, causing his cousin to jump in surprise.

"What do you want Magus?" Dane asked, resting his elbow on his thigh, and his cheek in his hand. 

"Pay!"

"Play what?" Dane asked, looking very bored. It was rather amazing that there were no other boys to play with in the village except Magus. And the next best thing was Takima. But now he was babysitting and he'd have to be nice to the squirt.

"Hideseak!" Magus said happily as he got up and waddled over to Dane. "You say the nubers."

"Fine, I'll count first." Dane said as he covered his eyes. "One, two, three, four..." He continued until he was sure Magus had had enough time to make it across the room and find a pathetic hiding place. "Oh, I wonder where he is..." Dane said looking right at the little form that was Magus.

Magus was curled up with his eyes shut tight and his hands covering them. It seemed he thought that if he could not see, no one would be able to see him either.

"Could he be over here?" Dane asked as he walked in a different direction than where Magus was. He couldn't help but grin as he caught a quiet giggle. "Nope, nope, he isn't here." 

Magus got up onto his feet when he heard Dane coming closer and dashed off, thinking he was invisible, and collided with a stool. He uncovered his eyes and looked at the, now toppled, stool from his place on the ground. "It topped game Day!" he said angrily as he poked the three legged piece of furniture.

Dane rolled his eyes at his young cousin. He was sure he never acted in such a manner. Running into chairs and being so silly. He was much too mature to have ever been like that. He walked over to Magus scooped him up and spun his around though the air.

Magus giggled with glee as he feet, and the rest of his body, flew through the air. He trusted his cousin completely, as Dane had swung him around for over a year now. 

Dane slowed down and put Magus on the ground before plopping down himself. "You know Magus," he said looking at the very happy toddler, "I'm going to be leaving in a year."

"No more Day? Where Day go?" Magus asked, his eyes getting sad.

"I have to go to the temple. I'm going to be a mage," Dane said. He couldn't wait, and he was so happy that he'd get to see Chacer again.

"I come too. I be mage!" the little one said.

"You have to be twelve, and you're only two. You have to wait."

"But I have no one to pay wit if you go away," Magus crawled over to sit in his cousin's lap.

"There are Chacer's sisters still, and there may be more babies soon-"

"Who Chacer?" the two year old asked.

"Chacer is my best friend," Dane explained.

"Then where is he Day? You pay wit him?" 

Dane sighed. "No, he's already at the temple. He's been gone for two years... I really miss him-"

"Poor Day!" Magus said as he fell against his cousin to give him a hug. "Oh, look Day! Mommy back!"

Dane tuned his head to see his aunt, Dancrofae, as she stood in the doorway.

"Dane," She said in a monotone voice, simply regarding his presence.

"Shall I go home now Aunt?" Dane said, shuddering slightly at the sound of his aunt's voice.

"Yes. You may go. Magus, Magus my son, come to mother," she said, with no emotion at all in her voice.

Magus climbed off of Dane and made his, wibbly, wobbly, way over to his mother, who scooped him up in her arms in what seemed like slow motion and looked down at him. Not really a look of love or of any warmth, but more of a blank stare, as if she was a machine.

Dane watched this for a moment before hurrying out of the little home belonging to his aunt and uncle. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*deet*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh Dane! There you are!" A now seven year old Mysotsu said cheerily as she skipped over to where Dane was emerging from his aunt's house. "Was Magus a good boy?"

The brown-haired boy looked at her as she skipped up. "He was fine."

"What is your aunt always up too? You seem to have to look after Magus for her more and more," the girl said as she gave a curious tilt of her head.

"Oh, she's just keeping busy. Plus, I think Magus needs someone to play with," Dane said as he started walking, only to have the blond follow behind. 'I go to get away from you!' he thought, feeling her soft breath on his arm.

"Magus could play with Takima, I bet they would have fun." She moved next to Dane and looked up at him.

'Oh, look at that hole, right in the middle of where she's walking,' he thought. "Well, I meant a boy. His father is always away so I think he needs a bit of a male presence around, for his own good."

"Oh you are sooo very sweet Dane! Always thinking of other- AH!" And with that she fell, face first, into the sand, her foot having got stuck in the hole.

Dane mentally laughed as he held out a hand to help her up.

"Ow! Ow, Dane! I think I hurt my ankle! Will you carry me?" 

The boy rolled his eyes. He picked up Mysotsu and threw her over his shoulder like she was nothing but an annoying sack.

Mysotsu moaned and groaned about more comfortable ways to be carried, but Dane paid no attention to her. 

"Hi Mynako," he said as he dropped Mysotsu onto her bed.

"What's wrong with her?" she asked glancing at her sister.

Dane motioned for her to follow him outside.

"So?" Mynako asked again.

"Well, do you mean right now? Or did you want the whole list?" Dane said grinning.

"Well, I know the list Dane," she said laughing lightly.

Dane joined her for a moment before continuing. "She stepping in a hole and fell."

"What an ungraceful thing she is- Dane?" Mynako asked, eying the boy.

"Yeah?"

"Did you see the hole?" One of her eyebrows was raised in curiosity.

"Why... yes, I did see it," Dane said giving her a grin. They gave their 'I hate Mysotsu' club salute before Mynako went back in to deal with her sister. Dane smiled up at the sky, the hot sun on his face. "Soon, soon I'll be coming Chacer." He walked up to the top of the hill where he had watched his friend leave, and followed the path that he'd soon be taking with his eyes.

A young person crept up behind Dane, as quietly as they could so as not to make their presence known. Then, suddenly, they leapt, tackling the unsuspecting twelve year old and causing him to fall to the ground.

"Takima!" Dane shouted, his face held in the sand.

"Mmmhhhmmmmm?" the girlish voice that was no doubt Chacer's youngest sister was heard clearly.

Dane pressed his hands against the sand and lifted himself up. He brushed the sand off of his face and blinked at Takima. "What are you up too?"

"Well, I've achieved my sneak-attack for today. I bet I am as clever as a jackal!"

"Are you now?" Dane asked getting to his feet and looking out towards the horizon.

"Yes. I am so clever I know that you will be leaving, not soon, but tomorrow in all truth. For there is the caravan, coming through the valley."

Dane squinted and saw exactly what Takima had said. "I'm only half packed!" Dane shouted as he spun around and dashed toward his home.

Takima looked out again. "They'll be here in eight hours," she said to the wind. Dane was a little too enthusiastic about leaving, so the right thing to do would be to tell him not to freak out so much. She turned around and walked down the hill and over to Dane's home. "Heh! Dane!" She called inside.

A boy poked his head out a window. "Takima? I'm busy," he said before pulling his head back in.

The young girl walked over, grabbed the bottom of the window and hoisted herself up. "Dane! They won't be here for more than seven and a half hours! Calm down!"

Dane made his way back over to the window and helped Takima climb in. "You sure?"

"Positive, you know how good I am at that kind of stuff."

Dane sat down on a stool looking fairly miserable. "I just wish they'd come faster. Not that I want to go-"

"You just want to see Chacer. I know."

"Is it that obvious?" the blue-eyed boy asked, looking at Chacer's sibling.

She nodded sweetly. "You were best friends, and obviously loved each other."

Dane smiled a little. Of course he loved his best friend, they were like brothers. It felt so good to know that soon they would be reunited. "We still _are_ best friends Takima, three years can't change that."

"Well, tell him we all love him and miss him alright? I'm going to tell everyone else about the arrival of the caravan." She ran out the front door and made her way around the village.

After Dane was sure he was done packing up every little thing he needed, including every one of the poems Chacer had ever wrote him, he sat down and looked over everything. He combed his hair and made himself presentable, which took a rather long time seeing as how he had been tackled into the sand earlier that day. 

By the time the caravan had made its way into the village it was dark out. The sky was deep blue and the stars where shining. Dane walked out with some of the adults to greet the camel riders. The camels were taken to pens, their packs removed and put inside the storage hut. The men were given accommodations for the night.

Dane and his mother walked the young man, that was to be staying with them, to their home. He was fairly tall and thin and carried a staff. He was going to explain what it meant to be a mage and what was expected of him before he got to the temple. It was odd though, he wore something that would always cover his face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*deet*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The journey from his village to the temple was not terrible. It was not especially long, the weather was as expected, and the company was most enjoyable. Dane had learned many things already from the young man. He knew the ways of the temple, when he would move up, if he was good enough, and what he would be trained in. It seemed he, like Chacer, would learn skills of black magic. He was also asked questions; about his mother, his father, if they had abilities, or if they were plain, and so on. These questions were to figure out the ground level of where Dane's training would begin.

Although everything had gone well, the caravan was behind in their schedule, and to make up for this, they rode through the night, set on coming into the temple at the appointed time. Dane tried hard to keep his eyes open, as everyone else was doing, but it was hard and he was younger. 

The young man maneuvered his camel beside the one Dane, and all his little belongings were on. He wrapped his arm around Dane's smaller form and lifted him from his camel, turning his around and placing him practically in his lap. He wrapped the younger boy's arms around his waist and held him with one arm. "Sleep Dane, I'll keep you safe."

Suddenly a wind blew across the dessert and the material covering the young man's face was sent flying about. Long black hair danced, and leapt in the breeze. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Hicky: Oop! What did you think? Who could it be?

Trent: Even I know!

Hicky: So you must! Come on and guess away! Also, the LoTC quiz is still here for those who want it, and those that have taken it, I'd like it back to mark. 


	3. To The Temple

Hicky: Okay, let's get this straight.  I KNOW I haven't updated in a long time.  I KNOW this and do NOT need to be TOLD by other people that I have not updated in a long time.

Trent: big happy grin I was a good block.

Hicky: rolls eyes Peeps, I luv ya for your reviews but I write this fic for me, got it?  Cause I want to and like to.  I don't do it to please all you, so I don't mind not updating ever week, or every month.  I don't WANT to hear everyone whining about "Finally!" and "I thought you had died!" And stuff like that.  I KNOW it was a long time to wait so don't bother telling me.

Trent: Like, we don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, so yea.  Enjoy the chappie!

****

**To The Temple**

As the sun peaked over the sandy hills of the desert, causing a beautiful red glow against the yellow, the caravan came to the borders of the city.  They passed through the outskirts and more modernized homes of the citizens.  It was still too early for the people to be up, but soon the city would be alive with activity.

Dane shifted a little as the sunlight hit his eyes.  He turned his face into the chest of the young man who he had forgotten had brought him onto his camel during the night.  He groaned slightly, not wanting to have woken up.  He tried to hide his face in the robes of the young man he was sitting on, to go back to sleep.

"Come now Dane, you must be awake when you meet the Pharaoh," the young man said as he moved his hand to lift Dane's head; the eastern light brightening half of the boy's face, while the other half was hidden in light shadow.

Dane looked up and when he did, his eyes sparkled as they met ruby red irises, and black hair framing the face of the young man.  "Ch-Chacer?"  He asked quietly, amazed at what three years had done to his dear friend.

The young man, well, actually mature looking teen, smiled down at the boy in his lap.  "Yes Dane, it is I."

Dane was suddenly wide-awake and filled with energy.  He wrapped his arms tightly around his friend and pressed his check against the other's chest.  "Chacer! Oh Chacer!  I missed you so much!  Your sisters and mother miss you too, they would have been so happy to see you when you were at the villag-"

"But Dane, I came for you, not them."  Chacer held the boy close with one arm and kept the other on the reigns.  "I volunteered to come on the trip to get you, and to tell you about the temple."

Dane just hugged Chacer tighter, almost wanting to cry.  "Three years was so long, and you've changed a lot."

Chacer frowned a little.  'More than you know,' he thought, and was grateful that Dane could not see his unhappy face.  His frown changed back to a smile as he enjoyed the arms around his body.  True, he had grown; taller, stronger, his voice had changed, his hair had grown longer.  But on the inside he had changed as well.  Chacer maneuvered over to Dane's camel once again.  "Dane, hop back over to your camel.  We're almost there."

Dane looked up at Chacer for a moment before turning his head to see the palace to one side, and then turned his head over the other shoulder to see the temple.  He clambered around as he tried to get back to where he had been sitting before last night. 

Chacer laughed lightly and smiled when Dane finally sat down again.  "Alright... fix your hair a bit.  Everyone will be waiting for you."

Dane's entire body tightened with nervousness.  He had been riding for days and was certainly in no condition to impress anyone, especially a pharaoh.

"Don't worry.  No one looks spectacular when they first show up... well, except me of course."

"Shut up Chacer, you're not that good looking."

Chacer scoffed and grinned.  "I am and you know it."

Dane waved one hand at his friend to shut him up while the other one ran through his hair, attempting to untangle any knots and make it lay flay.  "How many other's will be arriving?"

Chacer thought for a moment.  "I'm not sure.  It's different every year.  There are usually between ten and thirteen new arrivals on this day, a few before, a few after.  It depends on how far away their villages are, and when the caravans left to get them."

"But this is the main day of arrivals?" Dane asked spitting onto his palm, rubbing his hands together and running them down his hair.  "Shiny?"

Chacer nodded.  "Yes, it's the main day, and yes, you're hair is shiny now."

Dane spit into his hand once more and repeated the processes for good measure.

"Oh yeah, that's attractive-"

"I'm trying to look good, not be attractive . . . . Shut up Chacer!" Dane lowered his hands and looked straight ahead.

"I am not going to let to march up to Pharaoh with your hair covered in spit."

Dane whipped his head around to look at Chacer.  "Heh!  Shiny is good and it'll make people notice me.  Besides, there isn't any other way I'm going to look any better..."

"Oh really?  No other way?"  Chacer un-strapped his staff and bought in into his right hand.  It was a simple staff, thin, brown wood and a triangular gem on top.  He made a little motion and watched as his spell took place.

Dane's eyes went wide and then closed as the magic washed over him.  A warm tingle crept over his skin and danced through his hair.  The brown-haired boy sighed dreamily at the wonderfully feeling.  Once it was gone he slowly opened his eyes and looked back at Chacer.

Chacer tied his staff back down, trying his hardest not to look at Dane.  The spell was a simple one, to remove all the dirt and other things off Dane's clothes and body.  He was completely clean, and his hair shone in its natural richness.

"Wh-what was that feeling?" Dane asked, although he was sure it was magic.

"Love," Chacer said, smiling sweetly.  "You love me, Dane."  He just looked at the staring boy until he couldn't take it any longer and burst out laughing.

Dane blinked and scowled.  "It was magic!" He said before turning abruptly to face forwards again.

"I know what it was, Dane, you silly boy."  Chacer continued to laugh for a while longer, as Dane's cheeks reddened.

Dane held on tightly to his seat, as Chacer's laugher quieted to a chuckle, then stopped completely.  "Aren't you going to clean yourself up a bit," the blue-eyed boy said, purposefully added a cold edge to his voice.

"Like I need it," Chacer shot back cockily.  "Besides, I don't want to show you up too badly on your big day."  Chacer moved his camel into an awkward trot to get ahead of Dane's.  

The boy watched as  Chacer moved past him, and slowed again as he came up to another man, maybe nineteen.  He watched as the two leaned close to whisper something.  The young man grinned for a moment, but that stopped as Chacer pressed his lips to those of the stronger mage.

The older mage smiled as Chacer moved up.  "It's been a while," he said quietly, leaning in.

"What?  I thought you had fun two nights ago," Chacer whispered back.

"Of course, but I know you can offer more when you aren't surrounded by unwilling participants."

Chacer chuckled lightly at what the man said.  "Tonight then?  Would that please you?"

"Very much... you're not busy?"

To answer the question Chacer simply leaned in those extra few inches and kissed the man.  He had changed so much...  

Dane slipped to the side, his mouth hanging wide open.  He caught himself in the nick of time, just before he would have toppled off his high mount.  Suddenly he saw Chacer's poems in a whole new light.

Chacer turned his camel around, caught the look on Dane's face and looked down.  He moved back into his position beside Dane without saying a word. 

Dane's staring eyes followed Chacer until he was looking right, parallel to his shoulder.  "Why did he kiss you?"  Dane asked, again knowing the answer, and also that his question was a little off.

Chacer said nothing, but his fingers tighten around the reigns.

The young boy tried something a little different.  "Why did you kiss him, Chacer?'  There was no reply.  Dane sighed a little.  "Do you love him?"

"... No...," Chacer managed to say quietly.

"But-"

"No, Dane.  I'm not going to talk to you about something you would never understand."

Dane was hurt.  They used to tell each other everything.  Dane knew that Chacer liked boys, because he liked him.  Maybe it was the fact that Chacer was the one to kiss the older man that shocked him, maybe because they kissed on the lips, maybe because it wasn't him.  'Because it wasn't him?' Dane thought a moment.  Sure, it was Chacer, his dearest friend, his closest companion, but did he like Chacer that way?

The younger boy's brow knit in thought.  He was only twelve, too young for his heart to fall in love, but old enough for it to play tricks on his mind with silly crushes.  He thought about Mysotsu, four years younger than him, and so obviously attached to him, but that was completely one sided.  There was Mynako, colder than the average child, making her seem much older, but there was no crush there.  Takima was a wild-child bent on wreaking havoc and making mischief.  A close friend, but like her normal-er sister, she had been Dane's friends and not even tried to be more.

The other village girls where just that, other village girls.  They would work with their mothers, or stay to their groups.  The carriers of the magical genes were taught, young, not to become romantically involved with those that were to leave for the temples.  It made sense that way, ensuring that more special babies would be born, and those with magic would leave, to make their village better known.

So, Dane came to the conclusion that he had never had a crush on any of the girls, whether he would have been able to pursue any of them of not.  He looked over at Chacer and thought about the other village boys, the ones that worked hard in the fields, which were strong and powerful looking, and the ones that tended to their homes with their mothers. 

He giggled lightly, picturing Takima out in the fields with the boys, either beating them all with her skills and speed, or standing on a tree branch or on a large rock and calling out orders.  He had heard from his uncle about other villages that didn't let the boys stay home or the girls out to work in the fields, but their village was different, Dane thought it the best.  It made sense, didn't it, for the people to do what they were good at, to send mages of both sexes to the temples because of their skills?

But what did any of that matter now?  He had left his village behind, probably never to return.  His life was taking a course that was known well, and also not at all.  He always knew he would be a mage, but what about the rest of his life…

Chacer looked back at Dane, and watched him, wondering what he was thinking about so seriously.  He smiled at the way the boy's eyebrows drew together and the way his bottom lip stuck out a bit, just like when he had been little.  "Don't hurt yourself there, Dane.  Your head might explode."

Dane blinked out of his thoughts and turned his head to his friend.  He sighed and looked down at the neck of his camel, mumbling quietly, "I'm… kinda scared."

Chacer tilted his head to the side slightly.  "Don't be, Dane.  It's an amazing world, full of adventure, of things you could never dream of."  He leans forward to see Dane's down turned face.  "And you know, we'll be bestest best friends again."

The brunette's lips twitched into a smile.  At least he didn't have to face this great big adventure on his own.  "Thanks, Chacer."

There was a sound of a horn off in the near distance and a much louder echo from one only a few meters ahead.  Dane looked around, a little confused.

"Our greeting begins, Dane.  Look sharp, alert, ready.  You're about to meet Pharaoh."

Dane's eye became wider.  Although knowing that this was what was to happen all along, it was shocking having it suddenly so near.  He sat up stalk straight and tightened his fingers around the reigns.  His chest rose and fell in a long slow rhythm as he mentally tried to prepare himself.

From other roads throughout the city caravans from other tribes and villages converged and the sound of greeting horns erupted from each to the others.  The lines merged and travelers fell into close lines to converse with friends not seen for long whiles.

A pair of, what Dane couldn't decipher as girls or boys, fell into step next to him, atop their own camel.  They looked over at him and waved, smiling nervously. 

"Anihae!" Chacer called over from Dane's right, all the way over to the pair's left.  He waved, hand high in the air.  "Twins again?!  That's the eighth set from your tribe, isn't it??"

A rich voice laughed loudly.  "Seventh Chacer!  The sixth set were triplets!" 

"Right, right!  Can't keep track of the numbers you bring in!" Chacer laughed too.

Dane and the twins exchanged looks as the other two called back and forth.  "My name's Staris," the first on the camel piped up.

"And I'm Starlet," the other chimed in, voices as identical and as hard to decipher as their looks.

Dane raised an eyebrow trying to decide whether to tag them as girls or boys.

The first, Staris, laughed.  "We know they're oddish names.  We're the sons of our tribe's astronomer."

"He likes stars," the second stated.

They were as slight in build as Mysotsu and Mynako, and their voices were somewhere between the girls' and Dane's.  No wonder it had been difficult to peg them.

"I'm Dane," he said, and without being able to think of anything to match their 'sons of an astronomer' he added, "and I've been stalked by his loony sister since she was old enough to walk."  He pointed toward Chacer and the twins laughed.

Said teen raised an eyebrow having been listening.  "Still?  I thought she would have dropped that by now.  She knows she isn't allowed a husband anyway, let alone a strong mage like yourself."

"I don't think Mysotsu thinks about what she's allow to and not allowed to do."

The twins laughed softly again.  "She sounds fun.  Is she coming to the temple too?" Starlet asked.

"In four years, with her sister, Mynako," Dane replied.

Chacer suddenly called back to Anihae.  "You hear that!  Twins from my village, and _my_ sisters no less!"

"Should I be scared??" Anihae pretended to shake with fear.

"Yes," Dane said flatly and the whole group of them burst out laughing.

A chorus of horns sounded ahead of them, closer than ever.  The three younger boys became silent and nervous once again.  The other two looked across at each other and smiled, proud of the younger three.

The great number of camels dwindled as many turned toward the temple.  What was left was the newcomers and the mages that had come to collect them.  At the gates to the palace courtyard they stopped, dismounted, and stood in a line in front of a group of very important looking individuals. 

 Chacer smiled and spoke to Dane out of the corner of his mouth, as did many of the other Bringers.  "I am sure you know which is Pharaoh."  After Dane's nod he continued.  "His wife stands to his right, his two sons to his left.  The young woman behind them is the eldest son's wife.  To the queen's right stands her father, the High Priest, and in front of him is his only son, and brother to the queen."

Dane made a face as he looked from the queen to her brother.  It looked like there was a thirty-year difference between the two.  Looking from the High Priest to his children it looked more likely for him to be the grandfather, her to be the mother, and the boy to be her son… but Dane would ask questions later.

The pharaoh stepped forward and raised his hands in the air.  "Loyal mages, welcome youths!  The gods have blessed your journeys, and may they bless you on this day, and every day to follow!"

The mages joined into one voice.  "May the gods bless you!  Great and powerful Pharaoh!  Hail Thabit!  Hail Pharaoh!"

The twelve year olds all started as the cry erupted, their nerves on edge.

"Hail Queen Anzu!  Hail Prince Chatha, Prince Yami, Lady Subira!  Hail High Priest Akil!  Hail Seth!"  The chant continued.

The small red headed prince squeaked and ducked behind his brother's legs, peering around them.  Dane watched him and smiled a little every time spiky read hair poked to the side, followed by two big amethyst eyes.

His attention was drawn from the little prince when two tall men stepped forward, large bundles in their arms.  They came before the pharaoh, knelt down on one knee, set the bundles down and unwrapped them to display a number of simple staffs.  The bowed and turned to the side, now facing one another, still on one knee.

Chacer and the other Bringers looked back and forth at one another, all impatient and excited to see which staffs their newcomers would obtain. 

"Lakira Kinimo," the man farthest to the right, and next to Lakira, called. 

The girl nodded and walked up, cautiously, to stand between to two men that had carried the bundles.  She lifted her hands, palms up as her lip quivered.

The pharaoh and the High Priest stood side by side and each held out their right hand, hovering over the girl's.  "Wind Mage," they said in unison, and the girl was handed a small staff with a pale green stone imbedded in it.

"Nisa Tomari," a young woman called, and the girl next to her repeated the same process as Lakira, only calmer.  She was declared a Fire Mage and received a orange-red stoned staff.

Mathr Fakar, Ellir Dwear and Jazame Wimtu were all Water Mages, with shining blue stoned staffs.  Zelack Dihyt, and Irvash Kinaea were Earth Mages. 

"Staris and Starlet Hevsen," called Anihae. 

The two walked forward together.  They were instructed to hold each other's hands, and display only one each to the Priest and the Pharaoh.  They did so, smiling at one another.  "Light Mages."  They were each handed a staff, one with a white gem, the other cream.  They turned back and walked past Dane.  "Light, who would have thought," Starlet said in sarcasm as he laughed lightly, his brother hitting him in the shoulder to shut him up.

Two very serious looking boys were next up.  The first, Seif Alas, was declared a Fire Mage, specializing in fire manipulation; the second, Skall Lohear, was a Water Mage, specializing in ice.  Their stones were deep red and pale blue, respectively.

"Dane Macia," Chacer called. 

Dane felt his body tighten all of a sudden.  He was the last one.  He took one step, stopped to collect his wits and then proceeded.  He held out his hands as the others had done before him, holding his breath.

Chacer's lips mirrors the words of Pharaoh and the High Priest.  'Dark Mage'.  He smiled, having known all along that Dane would follow in his footsteps.  The boy was given a staff with a turquoise green stone identical in color to the one in Chacer's staff.  He looked very pleased as Dane walked back to him.

Hicky: If any of you say something REMOTELY unflattering about the time it took for me to update I will… BITE YOUR FACES OFF.  Just do NOT mess with me on this subject.


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